Brest Lesquin Airport Departures (BES)

Brest Airport was formerly the Brest-Guipavas Airport, but is now officially the Brest Bretagne Airport, with the unique code of BES. It is a France airport of reasonable size, handling approximately 900,000 passengers per annum, and is an important gateway to the Finistère department of the country. It is found just outside of Brest city, in the commune of Guipavas, and nearby the north-western coastline of France. Brest departures are offered by several airline companies, and for departing passengers; the terminal building of the airport is well equipped with a variety of facilities. Departing passengers can also reach the airport by public transport.

The airport is approximately 10.2km, or 6.4 miles northeast of the city centre of Brest, and is nearby to the larger town of Gouesnou, as well as the smaller areas of Kervao, Saint-Tudon, Kernoaz, Baralan, Kereller and Kerhuon Bihan. The major road running nearby to the airport is the N12, providing motorists with access from Brest, as well as from many areas to the east, such as Landivisiau and Morlaix. The N12 also stretches as far as Saint-Brieuc and Rennes. Another road providing access to the airport from Rennes is the N164, while the N165 runs to Brest from southern areas such as Nantes, Vannes, Lorient and Quimper. The smaller access roads of the airport are the D167 and the D67. The road network in and around Brest is excellent, and there are over 2,000 parking spaces at the airport, therefore, passengers can easily reach their departure flight in their own vehicle.

Airport parking is provided in three areas, namely, P1, P2 and P3. P1 is a covered area with 430 spaces, and is also the most expensive parking area to use, while P2 can be used for short or medium stays, and is found in front of the terminal building. It is mostly uncovered, and about half the price of P1. P3 is the airport’s most economical parking area, for longer stays, and it offers the first hour of parking for free. Departing passengers can also be dropped off in front of the terminal.

Passengers without a vehicle can arrive at the airport by bus, taxi or private transfer. The Bibus is the area’s local bus service, and one of its routes is from the Brest railway station to the airport. It also stops at a few locations in the city centre, including at the tourist office. The bus travels approximately every two hours, and is affordable for all. Alternatively, a taxi can be taken to the airport from any nearby location, and although more expensive than the local bus, it will provide a faster way to your departure flight. Private transfers are offered by several companies, and should be reserved in advance. There is no train station on the airport grounds.

Regular and charter flights are available from Brest Airport. The main airline carrier offering departure flights is Air France, but others present include Chalair Aviation, EasyJet, Finist’air, Flybe, Vueling, Jetairfly and Ryanair, one of the most popular low-cost airline companies in the world. French destinations offered from Brest include Lyon, Nice, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille and Toulon, while other flights leave for Barcelona, Birmingham, Manchester and Southampton. Charter flights are available at certain times of the year to destinations that include the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands of Spain, Sénégal, Crète and Italy. Brest Airport departures are therefore mainly domestic, but a few international flights are offered as well.

Passengers now enjoy a brand new terminal building with a much larger surface area than before, and more efficient airport services. The new building took four years to construct, and was opened for business in December 2007. It is extremely modern, as well as comfortable and well organised, and features a huge glass bay window which offers wonderful views over the runway, two foot bridges connecting the boarding zones to the medium and larger-sized airplanes, more room for facilities such as restaurants and retail outlets, a business centre and a larger choice of parking options. The new terminal has a capacity for up to 1.8 million passengers per annum.

Brest Airport facilities include the conference area ideal for all meetings, presentations, trainings and other business functions. Two offices are available, as well as four flexible rooms which can either be used as smaller areas, or as one large board room capable of accommodating up to 120 people. Each room is equipped with high-quality office furniture, and catering can be arranged. Within the departure area, there is a duty-free store, as well as the Escale 380 shop, with a variety of regional products, and the Passerelle 747 and Terre d’Armor are found in the public area of the airport. The Bagad Café seating up to fifty people can be enjoyed in the departure area, while the Bar Lounge Kafé Britt and Restaurant Terre et Mer are on level 1 of the terminal. Further facilities include a travel agency, cash machines, payphones, a post box and a special area for children who are travelling without an accompanying parent or adult. The airport is also fully accessible to disabled passengers.

Always arrive in good time for your departure flight, leaving sufficient time for check-in. Arrive at least an hour before regular French metropolitan flights. Each airline has different check-in requirements, which are usually stated on your airline ticket, and passengers will also need to ensure their baggage weight and size meets the airline’s allowances. For Brest departures, passengers can check-in online, from the express check-in kiosks or at the check-in desks. Further details are available from the information desk at the airport.